Fail NCT because of low oil level?

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mc-BigE

Registered User
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This is a new one on me,
I went to get my car NCT'd this morning and the tester wouldn't rev the engine up because the oil level was low, thus not doing an emissions test which is a fail.
Now I know what you’re thinking, "why didn't you check the oil level yourself" well to be honest, I forgot all about me NCT until 11pm last night because I thought 1 march wasn't for a few days. (28 days in Feb. and all that).
But more importantly I bought the car from a Main Dealer, at the end of January 2006 and the car (according to the sales mans receipts) had gone through a pre NCT check and that the car is covered under 12month warranty anyway so I wasn't to worry.

So, I accepted my NCT failure report and drove off to work.
I dropped into a garage for some oil on the way and to check the level for myself, but the level was fine "half way between max and min".

So, were does this leave me?

I'm down 49 euro on first test (which I had to do anyway)

7 euro for 1 litre of unused oil! (so what)

27.50 ish for a re-test.

Do I,

1. Ring the Dealers garage and get them to pay for retest (which is not covered in their warranties fine print i.e. they'll fix the problem, but not pay for re-test)
2. Top it up when the engine is cold if it needs it, and just pay for a re-test
3. Go back to the NCT garage and complain if the Level is ok when the engine cools (in about 2 hours)
 
I don't get the point of your post. Are you saying/implying that you should not have failed? If not then you just have to get it done again if you want to drive the car. Where's the confusion?
 
I'm just posting my experience of what happened this morning to see if its a common failure.

My point is if the level is low when the engine is cold, then its my fault for not checking.

But if the level is fine , why should i pay for a re-test if there was nothing wrong with the car in the first place?

I will know the answer to the above when i check the level in about 2 hours

I suppose it boils down to my word against the testers in the end.
 
mc-BigE said:
I suppose it boils down to my word against the testers in the end.
Click to expand...
If there's an appeals mechanism then try that if you really consider that you were hard done by. Otherwise you'll just have to sort out the problem and resubmit the car for re-testing.
 
If there was enough oil in there, I think you may have a point.

I know they measure the oil temp. and presumably the amount of it too, so therefore do not understand how this could have happened.
 
I saw the tester checking the oil dipstick about 2 times unless he didn't push the dipstick in fully.

Either way it’s going to be very hard to prove that the tester made a mistake.

The car is a 4-year-old car and has fully synthetic oil, so I cant see how the oil level would be lower when the engine was cold compared to fully up the running temperature.
 
From (emphasis/bolding is theirs):
Appealing NCT results

 If you are dissatisfied with the test result you may appeal it through the NCTS appeal process. You must appeal within 7 days of the date of the original test. To make an appeal, obtain an Appeals form, from the test centre or from the NCTS Customer Service Department.

Complete all relevant sections of the form, giving details of the reason(s) why you feel you should not have been refused a test certificate. Forward the completed form, to the NCT Customer Service Department at the address below (see 'Where to apply'). You will then be offered another test in the testing centre but you have to pay the full test fee. If your car passes the second test, you fee will be refunded.
Click to expand...
 
Well, I checked it at lunch time it was half way between min & max.
But when I started it went down to the min line, but not empty.
and it stayed at that. looks like it needs a little top up but will it be overfull when driven up to full temperature? it’s a bit inconclusive.
 
Look at it another way.

Had he revved it and the lack of oil popped the engine, you'd be furious.
 
Yes, very true RS2K!

POLL:
Just wondering how many people check there engine oil & water levels / tyre pressures before an NCT? (now be honest.. like me :eek: )
 
Well, I check oil, water and tyres every couple of weeks and definitely wouldn't dream of bringing car for NCT without having checked them as well as checking all bulbs are working on the day. It's too expensive to take a chance on failing for some silly thing like that in my opinion.
 
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